Indian National Airways

[6] It became the second airline to start operations in India in December 1933, with weekly passenger and freight services from Calcutta to Rangoon and Dhaka.

[9] The airline was awarded another government contract in 1938 under the Empire Air Mail Scheme for carrying first class mail on the Karachi - Lahore and Karachi - Colombo routes for a period of ten years along with Tata Airlines.

As this contract promised a minimum income along with an operating subsidy, the company was able to expand and renovate its fleet.

[7][10] During World War II, all mail contracts were suspended and aircraft put under government disposal.

[12] The company also bought some war-surplus Douglas DC-3 aircraft from the United States of America at the end of the war.